Thomas M. DiLorenzo named next UND Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs

Thomas M. DiLorenzo named next UND Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs

University of North Dakota President Dr. Robert Kelley has appointed Dr. Thomas M. DiLorenzo as UND's next Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Currently Associate Vice President for Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), DiLorenzo will start his new duties May 1. He replaces Paul LeBel, who last year announced his decision to step down from the Provost position in 2013. LeBel will assume a full-time faculty position in UND's School of Law, where he served as Dean prior to being named Provost.

"I look forward to having Dr. DiLorenzo join our team. Dr. DiLorenzo is an innovative leader with an outstanding background in higher education. He will do an excellent job of leading UND's academic division and of helping to continue our progress towards becoming an exceptional UND," said UND President Dr. Robert Kelley.

DiLorenzo said that he is very happy to be a part of the UND family. "The President has put together an outstanding leadership team and I am eager to partner with these individuals to forward the work on Exceptional UND. I was extremely impressed with the way that President Kelley has guided the institution over the past five years and I am very excited to work with an outstanding group of deans, faculty and staff members."

Kelley also praised the search committee. "I want to thank the co-chairs, Dr. Lori Reesor, Vice President for Student Affairs, and Dr. Jim Mochoruk, chair of University Senate and Professor of History, and the rest of the search committee for their hard work and for an exceptional job of attracting candidates. I believe we have found an excellent fit for the University of North Dakota," said Kelley.

In addition, Kelley thanked Provost LeBel for his service to UND. "We are also grateful for the service and leadership that our outgoing Provost, Paul LeBel, has given to this office since 2009. He leaves the Academic Affairs office in a strong position to continue to build our academic programs and hire, develop and retain outstanding faculty," said Kelley.

The title Provost designates DiLorenzo as UND's senior academic administrator. As UND's Vice President for Academic Affairs, he will direct the academic division of the largest institution of higher learning in the Dakotas.

Thomas M. DiLorenzo

Dr. Thomas M. DiLorenzo was named the Associate Vice President for Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in September 2012, after serving two years as the founding dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at UAB. With an operating budget of more than $90 million, the 22-department College of Arts and Sciences included the former School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and School of Arts and Humanities and the School of Education. During his tenure as dean, DiLorenzo created and directed the Honors College at UAB, the University Advising Center, the Office of Student Engagement (Undergraduate Research, Service Learning, Study Away, and Undergraduate Fellowships and Scholarships), the First Annual 2-week New Faculty Orientation Initiative, and the Instructional Technology and Innovative Learning Environments (i2T2) Institute.

Prior to his position at UAB, DiLorenzo was at the University of Delaware, where he was chair of the Department of Psychology since 2002. He served as dean of the University of Delaware's College of Arts and Sciences (which included the arts, humanities, and sciences) from 1999 to 2001. Prior to that (1990-1999), he was chair of the University of Missouri-Columbia Department of Psychology.

DiLorenzo earned his doctoral degree in clinical psychology in 1984 from West Virginia University, where he also earned his master's degree in clinical psychology. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, both from the University of Pittsburgh. He completed his residency in clinical psychology at the University of Mississippi and Jackson Veterans Administration Medical Centers.

Contact:

Peter B. Johnson, Executive Associate Vice President for University Relations, Media Relations Coordinator, Office of University and Public Affairs, 701.777.4317, or at Peter.johnson@email.und.edu